Black Hawk, Colorado

Begin the hike by following the Bear Lake trail and after ~.45 miles take the trail to the right towards Odessa Lake and Flattop Mountain. Continue along the trail as it climbs above Bear Lake to the split with the Flattop Mountain trail at approximately 1 mile. The trail continues toward Odessa ...

Begin the hike at the Bear Lake trailhead, this will be the same for any season you chose to hike to the lake. From the Bear Lake trailhead follow the Dream Lake trail for ~1.05 miles to just before Dream Lake itself. The trail is very easy to follow up to this point in all seasons. In winter the...

Bear Lake is a popular tourist destination in Rocky Mountain NP, but when the sun is low in the sky or the stars are out you'll find the big crowd are gone. The lake is beautiful at sunrise and sunset but especially photogenic in the fall or at winter's end. While it doesn't have the darkest nig...

Watch the sunrise from above treeline with great views below and to the south. This is my favorite place to view the sunrise is from just above the emerald lake overlook. The Bear Lake area is very crowded, but an early morning ascent of Flattop Mountain will provide ample opportunities for solit...

Begin at the Bear Lake Trailhead, located at the end of Bear Lake Road, 9 miles from the entrance on Highway 36. Follow the signs to Dream Lake, passing Nymph Lake about halfway through. At 1.1 miles you will reach Dream Lake. The views of 12,713-foot Hallett Peak and 12,324-foot Flattop Mountain...

On this Rocky Mountain hike you’ll explore 4 picturesque mountain lakes and a 60 foot waterfall. Completing this hike requires familiarizing yourself with Rocky Mountain National Park’s free shuttle system. Hikes along Bear Lake Road are some of the busiest in the park. Trailhead parking lots fi...

The hike to Ptarmigan Lake has plenty of elevation gain for mountain lovers and views for miles from the Continental Divide. If you want to reach this spot for sunrise you'll need a very early start in the morning, but that also means you won't have to use the shuttle system to Bear Lake. The las...

Bear Lake to Flattop Mountain The trail starts at Bear Lake, where you get a view of Hallett Peak (12,713 ft) which will be the highpoint of your hike. After a short walk on the Bear Lake Trail, take the path to the right. After 1/2 a mile, take a trail left to the north. 1/2 a mile later, stay...

Hike up to two very tall Rocky Mountain National Park summits. Along the route, you'll see wildlife and abundant wildflowers as well as views of Keyhole Route and Longs Peak. Arrive at the Bear Lake Trailhead. Follow abundant signage toward Flattop Mountain. Once you arrive at the summit of Flat...

While not as popular as Dream Lake, Nymph Lake is just as beautiful. The hike to Nymph Lake is an easy hike just over 1 mile. You start from the Bear Lake Trail head and can go further on to Dream Lake and Emerald Lake if you want to. Both Dream and Emerald Lakes are also stunning and very photog...

Park at Bear Lake, and follow the signs north of the lake to Odessa Lake. However, do NOT go all the way to Odessa Lake; after about 3 miles, when Notchtop is in full view, the trail begins to descend to Odessa Lake. Find an unmarked spur trail to the left which leads to shallow Lake Helene, then...

Cascade Falls is accessed through the North Inlet Trail on the western side of Rocky Mountain National Park. The trailhead, North Inlet Trailhead, is north of the main town area of Grand Lake. Parking at the trailhead is limited, so hikers can also park along the road leading to the trailhead. Th...

This section of the CDT begins at the North Inlet trailhead, located on the western side of Rocky Mountain National Park. The trailhead is north of the main town area of Grand Lake. Parking at the trailhead is limited, so hikers can also park along the road leading to the trailhead. The hike foll...

Located in Rocky Mountain National Park at an elevation of almost 8,700 feet, Sprague Lake offers visitors great views with very little effort required. It's a short 15 minute drive from Estes Park and hikers can take the short trail around the circumference of the lake. You'll find bathrooms and...

From the Bierstadt Lake Trailhead on Bear Lake Road in Rocky Mountain National Park, you start out in lodgepole pines at 8850 feet high. But you quickly get into the aspens. In the breeze, aspens flutter or quake. It's unique sound as the leaves almost dance in the wind. The views and aspens ...

Wind River, Storm Pass, Sprague Lake, and Glacier Creek Loop trail is a loop trail that takes you by a lake located near Estes Park, Colorado.